The Union Public Commission (UPSC) has issued a notice to trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, demanding the cancellation of her selection following allegations of identity fraud. Khedkar, who was previously celebrated for her achievement, is now under scrutiny for reportedly falsifying her identity during the recruitment process.

The UPSC’s decision follows a detailed investigation into Khedkar’s background, which revealed discrepancies in the information she provided.

The investigation has uncovered that Khedkar deceitfully exploited the allowed number of attempts for the examination by falsifying her identity. This involved altering her name, her parents’ names, her photograph/signature, email ID, mobile number, and address.

According to the FIR report cited by the PTI, UPSC has issued “a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022.”

Khedkar, 32, who began her probationary training at the Pune Collectorate in June 2024, is also accused of improperly utilizing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas to pass the UPSC Civil Services Examination.